Rodolfo Zapata
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rodolfo Zapata | ||
| Date of birth | 1 May 1966 | ||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 2000 | Alberta Soccer Association | ||
| 2001–2009 | US Olympic Development Program | ||
| 2010 | Sunshine Stars FC | ||
| 2011–2012 | MP Black Aces FC | ||
| 2012–2015 | USA Youth Soccer Association | ||
| 2016–2017 | Gaborone United | ||
| 2018 | AFC Leopards | ||
| 2019 | Township Rollers | ||
| 2021 | Mukura Victory Sports | ||
| 2022-2023 | Fiji National Team | ||
| 2024-2025 | Montego Bay United | ||
Rodolfo Zapata (born 1 May 1966) is an Argentine Football Association and CONMEBOL PRO license coach. He is a dual citizen of Argentina and the US.
Rodolfo "Rolo" Zapata has a good track record as a coach in United States, Canada, Nigeria, South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, Fiji and Jamaica.
Playing career
[edit | edit source]Rodolfo Zapata started out as a player in the Argentinian 2nd division. He played as goalkeeper in Huracán, Sportivo Italiano, Racing de Olavarría, Club Atlético San Miguel and Cipolletti de Rio Negro. He suffered a knee injury that would end his career as a player, and then began his coaching career.[1]
Managerial career
[edit | edit source]Canada
[edit | edit source]In 2000, Zapata taught seminars for coaches and players development in the cities of Calgary and Edmonton that were promoted by Alberta Soccer Association. He planned and coordinated activities of coaching staff. He also provided recommendations that balance the needs of both recreational and competitive program design.[2]
United States
[edit | edit source]In 2001–2002, he was Head Coach of United Nations International School in New York City.[3]
Also in New York and New Jersey, he was Head Coach of USA Olympic Development Program (2001-2009). This is a national process for identifying and developing the best youth football players, which represent the United States in international competitions, such as the World Cup and the Olympics.[4][5]
In September 2012, Zapata returned to the United States as Head Coach of United States Youth Soccer Association and New Jersey Youth Soccer Association. His role was to concentrate on the identification and recruitment of the best young players. Many of them have gone on to represent the USA Youth National Teams in various age categories.[6]
Sunshine Stars FC (Nigeria)
[edit | edit source]In January 2010, he was based in Akure City, where he was Head Coach of Nigeria Professional Football League side Sunshine Stars FC.[7][8][9]
MP Black Aces (South Africa)
[edit | edit source]In 2011–2012 season, Rodolfo was appointed to be Head Coach of MP Black Aces FC in South Africa.[10][11]
Gaborone United (Botswana)
[edit | edit source]In 2016–2018, Zapata was Head Coach of Gaborone United in the Botswana Premier League. Gaborone United was a young team looking to establish its own identity. This identity will be built on Rodolfo Zapata's attacking style. His job has not been easy because of the club's financial and internal politics troubles. He contributed to the progress of fifteen U23 players into the first team, while ensuring survival without on a minimal budget.[12][13]
AFC Leopards (Kenya)
[edit | edit source]In May 2018, AFC Leopards announced Rodolfo Zapata as their new head coach for the remainder of the Kenyan Premier League season.[14][15]
Township Rollers FC (Botswana)
[edit | edit source]In 2019, he was appointed as the new head coach of Township Rollers FC in Botswana.[16]
Rodolfo Zapata won the 2018–2019 edition of the Botswana Premier League with his club. As a result, Township Rollers qualified for the 2019–2020 Africa Champions League.[17][18] As Head Coach of Township Rollers FC, Zapata has overseen a possession-based and attacking style of play. He has most consistently favored a 4-1-4-1 formation, but there have also been occasions when both a 4-3-2-1 and 4-3-3 have been used. Notably, represent subtle positional changes from Rollers' 4-1-4-1 tactic.[19][20]
Mukura Victory Sports (Rwanda)
[edit | edit source]In March 2021, Rodolfo joined Mukura Victory Sports in the Rwanda Premier League. Zapata's attacking brand of football has won him many admirers in Rwanda.[21] [22]
Fiji National Team (Fiji)
[edit | edit source]After his experience in Rwanda, Zapata signed as Head Coach of Fiji National Team qualified for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[23][24][25][26]
Montego Bay United (Jamaica)
[edit | edit source]Rodolfo Zapata joined Montego Bay United for the 2024-2025 season, and his team played the famous tiki-taka football. The Argentinian had a good track record, and his coaching style was applauded by all of the footballing supporters in the Jamaica Premier League. He favors a shifting formation, that at its core can be described as a 3-4-3. In attack, the outside middlefielders push up to play like wing-forwards.[27][28][29][30][31]
References
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External links
[edit | edit source]- Official website
- All you need to know about Rodolfo Zapata in 90 seconds
- Salida laboral ¿Qué pasa, por ejemplo, cuando no conseguís trabajo en tu país?
- Zapata, el argentino que triunfa en Botswana
- AFC Leopards is destined for a better future
- Nigeria National Team: Argentine Coach is a new NFF candidate
- Botswana football: Can Rodolfo Zapata pull Gaborone United out of the red?
- Na Nigéria, técnico argentino dá dicas a Maradona
- Las claves del primer rival
- La Seleccion de Nigeria es floja en defensa
- Messi no luce porque no tiene asimilado el concepto de equipo
- TNT Sports Argentina: Futbol for Export Rodolfo Zapata
- COACH RODOLFO ZAPATA - Sunshine Stars FC, Nigeria Premier League
- Argentine football managers
- Expatriate football managers in Nigeria
- Expatriate football managers in Kenya
- Expatriate soccer managers in South Africa
- Expatriate soccer coaches in the United States
- Expatriate football managers in Jamaica
- Expatriate soccer coaches in Canada
- Expatriate football managers in Botswana
- Argentine expatriate football managers
- 1966 births
- Living people
- Expatriate football managers in Rwanda
- Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Rwanda
- Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Botswana
- Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Canada
- Argentine expatriate sportspeople in South Africa
- Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Kenya
- Argentine expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Nigeria
- A.F.C. Leopards managers
- Township Rollers F.C. managers